Mastering the Basics

Can the basics in exercise really be all that exciting? Having worked in the fitness industry for over nine years, and followed along with fitness trends long before that, I have seen it all (or lots of it at least). Like any other industry, the fitness industry is trying to make money, and can often times, like the diet & weight loss industry, be preying on our insecurities and feeding us information for the sole benefit of the business and not the consumer on the other end.

Don’t get me wrong. The flashy boutique studios have gotten to me too. They are designed to have all the bells and whistles to make you feel special. In most instances, they do make you feel pretty great, but most often only on a superficial level and one that is often not sustainable financially for your bank account and physically for your body. Instagram is much like those fancy boutique studios. Captions telling us the best ab exercises, the top three ways to grow your glutes (I can’t even use the word booty myself…makes me feel too silly), or the latest and greatest fitness trends. We can get swept up in the cute workout outfits and the number of followers and get lost in the excitement.

As humans, we can naturally get bored, feel like we plateau (in workouts and in life), and start to crave the next big thing. Insert fancy Instagram fitness people and boutique studios from above. What worries me about wearing rose-coloured glasses when looking at all of this is the safety and longevity of those movements for our bodies. Since fancy movements can often be used to win consumers over via paying top dollar for classes or gaining likes and followers on social media, the repercussions are usually forgotten about.

In comes the basics! Although they may not be flashy and always feel cool, they will help you get stronger and feel safer in your movements for the following reasons:

Mastering the basics. Advanced movements are the basics mastered, is something that DTS, a Toronto-based fitness education & training company, strives on reminding its members. When you can understand and move your body through basic movements well, you can progressively overload your body better because it has mastered the movements. Some of my clients laugh when I use the phrase of “mastering movements” often, but it is so true!

Progressive overload. This is the notion of progressively adding intensity to a movement, whether that be through increased reps, weight, or frequency of a movement. Your body cannot handle that if you’re doing something brand new every single day. There has to be some familiarity in the body to begin progressively overloading movement.

Adaptation can occur. Your body is able to adapt to the stimulus of the workout and therefore start to progressively overload because your body becomes familiar and accustomed to the task at hand.

Safety first. The basics keep you safe. Fancy movements can be fun but always question why you’re doing something. If there is a greater purpose then go for it! Intricate movements can be a good mental and physical test after mastering the basics. However, when there is no real reason or purpose to perform the fancy movement beyond depleting your body, then think twice about them.

What’s the purpose? To add further to the above, always recognize why you’re doing something. Athletes are usually training for sport. General population is training for life. Movements should translate into every day life such as going up stairs, carrying groceries, or playing with children. 

How are you supposed to move. Now not everyone may have time for this, but understanding some basic anatomy and planes of motion may help you rule out the fancy moves from the safe and effective moves. Is the movement challenging your body in a way your body is intended to move? If yes, go for it! If not, find an alternative that accomplishes the same thing without sacrificing yourself to do so.

Programming can help. Not everything I do is specifically programmed for individuals. I offer drop-in classes, small group training and personal training. What can set you apart and help you experience success, is a customized program. In my Strength 101 program and with personal training clients, we follow programs which allow the basics to be tracked to help you master the basics and up the intensity appropriately.

So what are some basic movements that are FUN?! All of them really…but here are a few to get you started:

-lunges (in all directions)

-squats

-deadlifts/hinges

-rows

-push-ups

-overhead press

-plank variations

How can you up the intensity from there?

-try a single leg option

-add more weight

-add more repetitions or sets

-change the tempo (move at a different speed)

-depending on the class type, add a different piece of equipment (often seen in barre & pilates)

The next time you go to do a workout hopefully you’ve got some more insight into what you’re doing and why. Fancy and new workouts are fun and of course can be sprinkled in but when you can stick to the basics, you’ll experience positive outcomes and remain safe. Happy lifting!

Yours in self-discovery,

Rachel